Google's acquisition of Motorola Mobility will not affect Motorola's patent-related lawsuits against Apple, as the search company revealed on Monday it has no plans to rescind those legal complaints.

Motorola will continue to operate as a separate entity under Google, building handsets running Android as it has done before. And the company will also continue to pursue any litigation it is involved in, Google Chief Legal Officer David C. Drummond said in a conference call.

"Those lawsuits will continue and will be managed by Motorola as they are now..." Drummond said. "I don't believe there's anything more to add."

Drummond and other Google executives also declined to talk about the company's potential legal strategies going forward, now that it is set to own Motorola's massive patent portfolio. Motorola CEO Sanjay Jha said his company has 17,000 issued patents, and 7,500 patent applications that Google will now control.

"We will be in a very good position to protect the Android ecosystem for all of our partners," Drummond said.

Google's purchase of Motorola for $12.5 billion comes as lawsuits continue to mount in the wireless industry. Google's chief executive, Larry Page, said on Monday that patent litigation by Apple and Microsoft, which he feels is "anticompetitive," led to the Motorola deal.

Motorola fired the first salvo against Apple last October, when it sued the iPhone maker in the U.S. International Trade Commission. Motorola has argued that the iPhone, iPod touch and certain Macs are in violation of patented inventions it owns.

In all, Apple has been accused of violating 18 patents related to a range of technologies, including 3G, GPRS, 802.11 wireless and antenna design. The two companies reportedly attempted to negotiate an agreement out of court, but Motorola claims that Apple "refused" to pay for a license.

Apple quickly shot back with its own lawsuit, accusing devices like Motorola's Droid smartphones of violating six patents related to multi-touch gestures found on the iPhone.

Lawsuits in the wireless industry are so prevalent that Motorola even made a preemptive strike against Apple, and asked a U.S. District Court to invalidate 11 patents owned by the iPhone maker. Motorola told the court that Apple has a "history of asserting" that handsets running Google Android violate the 11 named patents.

Those same 11 patents were included in an earlier lawsuit that Apple filed against HTC. The patents in question were not, however, included in the complaint Apple would eventually file against Motorola only a matter of weeks later.

Yes. I fully expect to see an announcement sometime in the next few months that all patent litigation between the two is settled or withdrawn in a mutual agreement. Apple and Google know way too much about each others business I suspect.

Yes. I fully expect to see an announcement sometime in the next few months that all patent litigation between the two is settled or withdrawn in a mutual agreement. Apple and Google know way too much about each others business I suspect.

This is a joke, right? I mean, this is the Cold War going hot, for heaven's sake. The proxy wars are over now. It's Apple vs. Google.

Every minute Google, Motorola, and Samsung et al spend in court defending themselves against Apple costs them in the long term. Because every minute, Apple sells more iPhone, iPads, Apple TVs, and iPod touches. And Apple users are happier with their devices than Android users are.

Google claims this acquisition will protect Android from litigation. THIS IS NOT GOING TO WORK.

Apple, Microsoft, etc. are suing Android MANUFACTURERS (Samsung, HTC, etc.), because the manufacturers are the DIRECT INFRINGERS of the patent. NOT GOOGLE.

And Google CANT give this patents away for free to Samsung,HTC, etc. The only way this will happen without attracting an ANTI-TRUST investigation, is if Google allows Samsung, HTC to license Motorola's patents for a FEE.

I guess HTC is going to be their sacrificial lamb. After Apple succeeds in their suit against them, Google will work feverishly to change the Android OS to avoid those same patent infringements. They won't tell Samsung since they're already in bed with Apple (even though they're suing each other). LG, Sony and the rest will basically dump Android and go W7 after Microsoft gives them an easy way to reuse their handsets that they have waiting to come out with Android.

Google will realize that Motorola's engineers are not easy to work with and will experience the same resistance that Steve Jobs did when he became the interim CEO @ Apple. I don't think they have the experience to run a hardware company, especially one that specializes in cellphones and PDA's, not computers.

Motorola is suing Apple largely over Motorola's wi-fi related patents. The claims are similar to when Nokia sued Apple. Motorola offered the named patents to a patent body for all members to use under reasonable and non-discriminatory terms. Apple as being a member of the patent body has used the patents in question on many products, with Motorola having no problem with Apple's use. Now Apple is attacking Motorola's key business, and it wants Apple to pay for a license. Apple's argument is either it is not required to pay (as Motorola doesn't charge for the patent) or Motorola's terms are unreasonable and discriminatory.

Quote:

Originally Posted by charlituna

Is if Apple refused to pay at all. Or did they feel that the amount Motorola was asking for was above and beyond fair and reasonable and refused to pay that amount and Motorola wouldn't budge.

Because while patent holders are allowed to set their own terms if they are demanding crazy amounts they can get dinged in court over it because it is deemed anti-competitive

They've got a lot better chance of a fair deal from Microsoft than from Google.

How do you figure? Microsoft offered Nokia a special deal. They get to make modifications to WP7 that nobody else gets to make (though customization still isn't close to anything available in Android). And for that deal, Nokia had to commit to going Windows Phone 7 only.

Do you really think Samsung wants to sign a deal to be WP7 exclusive and be forced to ditch Android and Bada? Or that HTC wants to be forced into a WP7 exclusive arrangement?

There's a lot of wishful thinking in these parts based on a hatred of Google. But not all of it is necessarily sensible. Just look at people who think Oracle wants to kill Android (instead of you know making money from it as would be the sensible thing to do).

I guess HTC is going to be their sacrificial lamb. After Apple succeeds in their suit against them, Google will work feverishly to change the Android OS to avoid those same patent infringements. They won't tell Samsung since they're already in bed with Apple (even though they're suing each other). LG, Sony and the rest will basically dump Android and go W7 after Microsoft gives them an easy way to reuse their handsets that they have waiting to come out with Android.

Can you please share what you're smoking?

Your fantasy is driven by your dislike of Google. Thankfully, most CEOs don't think that way. They are in it to make money. They'll do that using whatever tools are available. LG, SE, etc. won't suddenly start making WP7 phones by the boatloads just because MM is now owned by Google. They aren't going to make products unless customers buy them. If there was demand for WP7 handsets, you would have already seen massive movement to WP7 from Android. It's not happening. And this agreement won't suddenly reverse trends.

Consumer demand drives what company produces. Not the other way around. Apple being a rare exception to that, I think most Apple fans forget how the rest of the world actually operates.

I'm sure Google will set all the patents they've acquired free under some open license where anyone can use them free of charge.

Google is all about Open.

We need a Gold star smiley. So many people fail to grasp this simple concept. I suspect plans for all of Motorola's phones will be made available free on the Internet so everyone can build their own. First, everyone built their PCs at home, now Google is going to allow us to do the same for our phones.

And Google CANT give this patents away for free to Samsung,HTC, etc. The only way this will happen without attracting an ANTI-TRUST investigation, is if Google allows Samsung, HTC to license Motorola's patents for a FEE.

Ummm. Yes they can choose to license the patents to OHA members for free. Jha already discussed elements of this earlier when he indicated that MM owned a lot of patents that didn't have to do with wireless standards but were vital to product differentiation and competition. Licensing those will make all the difference. The standards patents? Those will be licensed like all standard patents always are.

I'm sure Google will set all the patents they've acquired free under some open license where anyone can use them free of charge.

Google is all about Open.

You maybe being facetious, but it's not all that far from how Google actually operates. I can fully see them licensing all the patents to any OHA member and anybody else who agrees not to sue any member of the Android ecosystem. Just look at Google's history with the VP8 codec. They have spent money to acquire the IP and open source it.

Then again, far too many people (Apple and Android fans included), have utterly moronic and misinformed notions of what "Open", "Open Source", etc. implies and means and what it means to Google.

How do you figure? Microsoft offered Nokia a special deal. They get to make modifications to WP7 that nobody else gets to make (though customization still isn't close to anything available in Android). And for that deal, Nokia had to commit to going Windows Phone 7 only.

Do you have a copy of the Microsoft/Nokia agreement? I didn't think so.

Does the fact that Microsoft offered Nokia some special modifications mean that they can't offer modifications for other companies? Or are you even sure that no one else can have the same mods?

The fact is that the other hardware vendors WILL get screwed by Google. The fact that there might be a slight advantage for Nokia (even if true) is probably still less intrusive.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jetz

Do you really think Samsung wants to sign a deal to be WP7 exclusive and be forced to ditch Android and Bada? Or that HTC wants to be forced into a WP7 exclusive arrangement?.

I don't think anyone suggested that Samsung or HTC would ditch Android. Nor did anyone say that anyone else would sign an exclusive with Microsoft. Rather, what was suggested was that the balance has now shifted - Microsoft looks better than they did before and Android looks worse than they did before. That's indisputable.

"I'm way over my head when it comes to technical issues like this"Gatorguy 5/31/13

I'm sure Google will set all the patents they've acquired free under some open license where anyone can use them free of charge.

Google is all about Open.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jetz

You maybe being facetious, but it's not all that far from how Google actually operates. I can fully see them licensing all the patents to any OHA member and anybody else who agrees not to sue any member of the Android ecosystem. Just look at Google's history with the VP8 codec. They have spent money to acquire the IP and open source it.

Then again, far too many people (Apple and Android fans included), have utterly moronic and misinformed notions of what "Open", "Open Source", etc. implies and means and what it means to Google.

Actually, no this would be a marked change for Google. Previously, they've stolen patented ideas and copyrighted works and then turned around and announced that they were open and free. Actually paying for the patents is a very new idea to Google.

Ummm. Yes they can choose to license the patents to OHA members for free. Jha already discussed elements of this earlier when he indicated that MM owned a lot of patents that didn't have to do with wireless standards but were vital to product differentiation and competition. Licensing those will make all the difference. The standards patents? Those will be licensed like all standard patents always are.

being a licensee of a patent DOES NOT mean Samsung, HTC, etc. own the patents.

Unlikely Microsoft would pay HTC/Samsung X billion dollars without a legal guarantee that they'd spend it solely on WP7 and a cross-licensing deal. HTC and Samsung won't want to give up that much autonomy when they can play both sides of the fence, especially since WP7 is still unproven.

Yet, there are/were numerous news reports at the time that Nokia has been allowed "special" modifications like building in its Ovi (now Nokia Services) suites, not to mention the billion bucks they got from MS.

I'm sure you're a big boy and can use Google to find enough information on the deal. You know damn well, Nokia got a deal that nobody else is being offered. Otherwise, do you care to speculate, why no other OEM has gone whole hog on Windows Phone 7? Heck, Motorola refused to even make a single WP7 handset despite threats from MS.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jragosta

Does the fact that Microsoft offered Nokia some special modifications mean that they can't offer modifications for other companies? Or are you even sure that no one else can have the same mods?

I'm sure MS can offer something to the other guys. But what's in it for the other OEMs? HTC's interest lies in making hardware for multiple platforms. They have never been a one-horse company. And they're starting to use and develop Brew in the same fashion as Samsung developing Bada as a backup. Maybe the guys who don't have a back-pocket OS, like SE and LG. But again, why haven't they gravitated towards WP7, after all these months?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jragosta

The fact is that the other hardware vendors WILL get screwed by Google. The fact that there might be a slight advantage for Nokia (even if true) is probably still less intrusive.

Your "facts" are your speculation and assertions, unsupported by a shred of evidence. Do you have any actual proof that other hardware vendors will most definitively "get screwed by Google." Please share, I'd love to be able to call my broker before the day ends.

As for Nokia's slight advantage....given how locked down WP7 is to the OEMs, their advantage is far from slight. You have MS dictating which tiles appear on the homescreen yet letting Nokia run all mapping software from Ovi instead of Bing. That's not "slight" by any but your apple-tinted glasses. No other OEM has the ability or interest to come close to that. They can all customize Android far more than anything MS is even allowing Nokia to do. If people think that Android is damaging handset ASPs, just imagine what WP7 with MS extremely tight (not necessarily a bad thing from the consumer perspective) design standards would mean. It's pretty much impossible to distinguish one WP7 handset from another. And this is what OEMs are supposed to flock towards?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jragosta

I don't think anyone suggested that Samsung or HTC would ditch Android. Nor did anyone say that anyone else would sign an exclusive with Microsoft.

Some have suggested OEMs would ditch Android. See comments prior to yours.

As for getting the exclusive....if any OEM wants what Nokia has they will have to agree pretty much to what Nokia did. Nokia is ditching Symbian and Meego and foregoing any Android development for the forseeable future. That's quite a commitment. They had a lot more to give up. You honestly believe MS won't demand that companies like LG, SE, HTC, Samsung give up all other operating systems to get a similar deal?

Quote:

Originally Posted by jragosta

Rather, what was suggested was that the balance has now shifted - Microsoft looks better than they did before and Android looks worse than they did before. That's indisputable.

What's indisputable is your bias and the lens through which you look at the news. I see positive and negatives for other Android OEMs. And a lot of this really depends on how much MM will be integrated into Google. It's far too early to tell. Google may well strip the IP and sell the manufacturing business to somebody else.

As for MS looking better. That's a wash. Google just removed the threat of MM suing its fellow Android OEMs. That's a huge legal threat that's been removed. And Google may (albeit a big if) be successful at using these patents to protect Android OEMs from Microsoft's extortion. If that happens, why would companies suddenly want to migrate to WP7.

I agree that it's odd for Google to own a hardware company. I certainly find it odd. But if they are committed to running MM as a standalone company, and there's scant evidence that they bought MM for anything other than the patents, then there's still no real basis for other OEMs to run into MS' arms to embrace a mobile OS that consumers just aren't buying. And that's the real problem MS has, consumers dont want their mobile OS.

Partially correct. Google could easily sue MS, Apple and Oracle using its patent horde and then insist on cross-licensing deals for all OHA members. Not saying it will happen. But there's more than one way to skin a cat. You're just not thinking like a lawyer.

Partially correct. Google could easily sue MS, Apple and Oracle using its patent horde and then insist on cross-licensing deals for all OHA members. Not saying it will happen. But there's more than one way to skin a cat. You're just not thinking like a lawyer.

Not really, if Moto wins, then Apple loses because Apple would not be able to sell their iPhones (although I doubt Moto would win), at that point doesn't really matter if Samsung/HTC loses as well. That's why if Moto was actually winning, Apple would be willing to negotiate with Google and just say ok we'll settle with everyone and compete on other grounds instead of patents.